Cryptography
by Tenshi-Battosai
Summary: INUNARU ONESHOT Neji has always been good at deciphering things. But there was always one thing he couldn't solve: Why Kagome had left Konoha. They meet again at last, but sadly, fate is unkind. NejiKag


**---Cryptography---**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Inuyasha or Naruto.

I know I should be working on all my other fics, yadda, yadda, but this idea just came to mind and wouldn't stop bothering me until I wrote it all down… I don't know what the hell motivated me to write it though.

Another Neji/Kagome fic that I came up with. It just came to me when I was thinking of how to rephrase a paragraph in 'Inevitable Love' and just flew out from there. I hope you like it.

There is no explanation to how Kagome got to where she was, and how anything started. Just a simple story. Hehe. A very strange one in my opinion, but I want to know what you think…

Pretty nonsensical to me. Quite rushed.

A Neji/Kagome oneshot.

* * *

**Kagome's POV…**

"Birds…" Kagome muttered wryly under her breath, "One…four…six…eight birds… Eight pigeons out at this time of night. Why?" She pressed herself harder into the brick wall, hiding in the shadows. One pigeon flew off its perch and glided away from the village, "Seven…"

Cautiously, the miko peered around the corner of the alleyway to see if somebody was near. When she thought it was safe, she unzipped her fancy dress, the fabric falling to the ground, revealing a simple battle outfit. Kagome tugged her backpack closer, her back turned towards the alleyway entrance. She hastily dumped the contents onto the ground, spreading them all over the grimy dirt floor.

'Something's happening. I can sense it…' She stuffed her dress carelessly into her now empty backpack and tossed her high heels in with it, grabbing her ninja sandals off the floor and slipping them on. With haste, Kagome fastened the weapons that had come out of the bag onto her body and zipped her pack up, throwing it over her shoulder, "There's a disturbance in the air"

The rodents around the streets moved restlessly and birds were perched everywhere, jumping around every few seconds.

'Is it, perhaps…an enemy message…?' Kagome whipped around the corner, racing down the street and beyond the forest path.

Before she was out of distance, she heard a toned down, shrill whistle, making her flinch, "Kuso…!"

* * *

**Neji's POV…**

He leaned against the balcony railings, counting off the creatures in the night, 'Eight birds…eight spies within this crowd' the man glanced downstairs at the formal party he was currently attending.

As the eighth bird flew off, he counted again, 'Seven birds…an enemy has escaped…kuso!'

"Neji!" A feminine voice called out racing up to where he was standing.

Neji turned towards the kunoichi, whispering solemnly, "I know"

Tenten nodded grimly in understanding, "Who?"

"I will. You stay and keep watch on the other 7" The two looked below as a faint tapping noise was echoed off the wall.

One tap, three quick ones and five even, slow taps.

"He's found out who the other seven are"

"Hai"

'Good job Shino' Tenten thought, "I'll be going now"

Neji nodded, "I have to pursue the other before their lead is too great"

"Good luck"

"Arigato"

Neji took a firm hold of the railings, leaping over the balcony and down to the street. He nearly tore off his tuxedo, revealing his daily shinobi outfit. He wore a Jounin vest though, with metal plated gloves to signify his ranking in Konoha. The Hyuuga freed his hair of the high ponytail that he was forced to do for the mission and redid it in his usual style. He dumped all his weapons out of his pockets and fastened them on his body.

A rock clattered to his left.

'Hinata' Neji nodded to the air, then racing to his left to trail the enemy, letting out a small, shrill whistle to notify his comrades.

Hinata nodded back from the party room window, resuming her trek of the snack table as if nothing had happened in the first place.

Soon enough, Neji could hear the bare, faint footsteps of somebody running.

The two were far out from the village now, and still going.

Still running, Neji stuck his hand into one of his various scroll pouches on his vest, pulling out a few crumpled explosive tags that he had carelessly stuffed into the vest in his haste.

Securing some wire into his mouth, Neji attached the explosive tag onto the wire, tying the end onto a kunai he pulled out.

In front of him, his enemy let out a little curse when she saw that he was approaching fast. She sped up, trying to gain more speed.

Neji hurled the weapon ahead of the woman, watching as it embedded itself onto the ground.

She jumped out of the way, only to have the tag explode, forcing her to jump up, roll out of the way and continue running.

'Shimatta! It didn't work!'

* * *

**Overall POV…**

As they ran, the two snapped their heads up at the sound of a crow cawing wildly.

Neji's lips pursed into a thin line, 'It seems that my comrades have to pursue the others now since they have escaped'

'It's confirmed now' Kagome thought wildly as she tried to avoid her pursuer, 'The animals have to mean something…a code, maybe? It's just too suspicious for this animal activity to occur near twilight'

Neji searched his pouch around his waist for something to use, smirking when he found something worthwhile, 'Makabishi. Perfect'

While Kagome seemed fairly distracted, Neji scattered the small spikes out in front of the two.

'What?' Kagome halted before she nearly stepped on the spikes tossed haphazardly across the floor. Her eyes narrowed, 'A distraction'

She turned around with a kunai just in time to block one that Neji was wielding.

They fought like this for a few minutes, before their arms locked. Neji's eyes bore into Kagome's and they stared for a while.

His eyes seemed to cloud over in deep thought, along with Kagome's.

Soon enough, Neji suddenly knocked the kunai out of Kagome's hands with a _'chink'_ and he pushed her over onto the ground, his lips firmly pressed against hers.

Kagome's eyes widened for a moment, and then surprisingly, relaxed. She allowed Neji to dive his tongue into her mouth, exploring, before his mouth hungrily slid down the side of her neck, tongue running over her smooth skin, and he indulged.

The faint perfume from the party burned its way down his throat, but it didn't matter. He smothered her in kisses, seemingly longing for something.

She moaned, her arms going limp and loosing the will to push him away. Kagome whispered something incoherent that Neji ignored, or just didn't hear. The miko grasped his long, silky hair and pulled his hair up, Neji looking at her a bit questionably.

Words not needed, Kagome leaned forward and crushed her lips against his.

"Kagome…" Neji's voice was soft and slightly cracked. He managed to overcome his lust for a while, "Where were you…why…you left…why…?"

She shut her eyes tightly, "It wasn't enough for me"

Neji embraced her tightly, as if Kagome would disappear any moment, "We all needed you…I needed you…the village provided you with everything it could offer…wasn't that enough for you? Wasn't…wasn't friendship, love, and happiness all you needed?"

"It was…but…I just couldn't stay"

"Why?"

"I can't…I can't answer that" Kagome slowly pushed herself off the ground, though not shaking Neji off of her body. She hugged him back, an embrace of longing, wanting, yet just like she could never have him.

"We were…we were sent on a mission to kill you" Neji provided her with that information.

Slightly hurt, Kagome responded, "…And you were willing to comply with that?"

"No!"

The miko chuckled forlornly, "You were always the one to decipher everything…every code and feeling, and nobody could ever hide anything from you"

There was silence. Neji wondered what this had to do with everything. Nonetheless, she continued.

"Yet…I find it ironic that you can't decipher why I left"

"Life is a puzzle, everything is, but not everything can be solved" Neji replied wisely.

"But…" Kagome said in a softer tone, "No matter how hard I tried while I was gone…I couldn't stop thinking about you…"

Neji nodded. To him, the same.

"I…I wasn't a hindrance, was I?"

"Absolutely not" Neji answered grimly, "You were a benefit to Konoha, and the villagers were distraught when you left"

"Well, that's nice…to know"

"I…I can't convince you back, can I?"

"Not at all. Gomen nasai, but I can't…"

"…Understood…" Neji let out a hollow sigh.

The two let go of their grip and stared deeply into one another's eyes, immediately missing the warmth that the other was radiating before.

"This…" Neji murmured, "This is our final farewell…"

"…Aa…"

The lovers kissed, passionately, desperately. Kagome gasped for air, short breaths, and then swooping back into their embrace.

All their feeling leaked out. Anger, frustration. Longing…

The sun started to rise over the canopy of trees. Morning was near.

_Two lovers…fated to part._

Neji and Kagome clung onto each other desperately, not wanting to let go. She clawed at the nape of his neck and his arms tightened around her waist.

_Destiny would have it no other way, laughing in their faces._

A songbird rested on a nearby branch, singing a broken melody.

_Fate and destiny were never fair._

"Neji?" Tenten and Hinata called out for him, trying to find if he left further hours ago to pursue Kagome or if he saw it was getting late and just stopped trailing her.

The Hyuuga cursed into Kagome's mouth and her eyes started to water, knowing that their time had come to an end.

Neji reluctantly stood up, hoisting the miko up with him, "I guess this is goodbye then…" He cast his eyes down at the matted ground.

"…Sayonara…" Kagome choked back a strangled sob, holding back her tears that were threatening to fall. She paused, "…Aishiteru…"

They embraced one last time, before they parted again.

"N-Neji-niisan! Are you here?" Hinata called out.

He sighed and took a few steps away from Kagome, back turned, "I'm here! …"

"Neji!" Tenten gasped, relieved, "So you're okay"

"…Hai…"

"…Is something the matter…?"

"No, everything's fine"

"Well…let's get going then…Tsunade wants a report on what happened last night and only you know what happened here"

Neji nodded.

The two girls started to walk ahead and Neji took another step forward, taking a glance behind his shoulder.

She was gone. There was no trace that she was even there in the first place.

He needn't decipher why she left. It was plain and obvious.

"…Aishiteru…Kagome…" A gust of wind blew by, the leaves on the trees rustling and carrying his simple words.

"Neji, come on! What's with you?" Neji sighed, running to catch up with the two kunoichi ahead of him.

Somewhere down the worn down path, Kagome closed her eyes, a forlorn smile playing across her lips.

* * *

_...Owari..._

* * *

Yosh! And that's it! What do you think of it? It just sort of came to me and honestly doesn't really make any sense at all. But…that's just me. It was really rushed, I know. But the idea just came to me, and I just had to let it out. Read and review onegai!

(And thus, I have to continue on my other fics now!)

Sayonara,

Tenshi-Battosai


End file.
